Heather Rose

English 112B

Professor Warner

7 May, 2011

Annotated Bibliography

A Rationale

A common literary trope seen easily in science fiction and fantasy is the Hero�s Journey. The outward journey acts as a physical and worldly representation for the inward progress or change within the hero. Through a journey, a hero�s morality, courage and cunning are often tested and strengthened and the hero or heroine matures as a character. Though the adventures of a story represent these internal journeys, there are many ways in which the outward journey can be carried out for the character to grow. Some of these journeys include: Seeking Home, Moving Back and Forth, Fulfilling a Mission, and the Life Journey. The ten entries that I have chosen for my annotated bibliography each fit into one of these categories; some could fit into two, but I will focus only on the main category for each work.

First are those characters that Seek Home. Their adventures begin when they are thrown without warning into a strange new world and their journeys unfold as they move through that world to find a way home. Often the characters start out in a realistic world and move into a magical one. This is the case with the movie The Pagemaster, in which Richard Tyler goes to a library and finds himself in the animated realm of books. Though Richard�s life in the real world is not ideal, he still moves through the fantastical world of literature to find his way back home. Aided by personifications of the literary forms Horror, Adventure, and Fantasy, Richard is able to face imaginary challenges that give him the courage and voice to stand up against the problems in his real life. The second selection for this category is Frank Baum�s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the well-known story of Dorothy and her quest to return to Kansas after landing in the strange and magical land of Oz. Though there is little indication of strife in Dorothy�s real world life, there is an implication that her life is dull and tedious. This offers her little ability to grow or mature since there are no real challenges in her life. Her adventure through Oz with the aid of the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodsman, and the Cowardly Lion, force her to grow into responsibility and maturity as she copes with the vivid challenges of the magical world. Third is Alice�s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, another tale of a young girl faced with a bright and boisterous world which contrasts her own strict and ordered lifestyle. Alice is similar to Dorothy in that there is little indication of troubles in her life, except the implication that her strict up-bringing has caused her to lose her imagination at an early age. Alice�s adventure through Wonderland, and the characters she meets along the way, re-kindle her ability to imagine again, as well as her cunning to get out of trouble.

The second category showcases characters moving back and forth between two worlds, often a realistic world and a magical world. In Neil Gaiman�s Coraline, a young girl escapes danger only to return to the dark copy of her own house to rescue her parents. This switching of child and parental roles shows Coraline�s growth as a young girl and strengthens her sense of morality and bravery in her effort to rescue the souls of other victims of the dark world as well. Secondly, The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor returns us to a re-imagined Wonderland with the character Alyss Heart. Alyss starts out in the fantastical realm of Wonderland, but is spirited away to the real world where, like the original Alice, her imagination is dampened by a strict up-brining. In her return to Wonderland, Alyss must force herself to mature in order to regain her imagination and take on the burden of reclaiming her right as ruler. The final work in this category is the play �A Midsummer Night�s Dream� by William Shakespeare. When two Athenian couples and a small troupe of actors stumble into the fairy realm of Oberon and Titania, the mortals must overcome the misleading tricks of the fairies in order to keep their wits, their friendship, and find their way home. The characters throughout the play move back and forth in their resolve and understanding of the situation and must learn to rely on and trust each other in order for everyone to get out safely.

The third category involves characters who move through their world into another with a mission in mind. The first story is that of Alanna from Tomora Pierce�s Alanna: The First Adventure, a young woman that braves the world of the royal castle, disguising her gender in order to become a knight. Here Alanna demonstrates great creativity to keep her true identity hidden and extreme bravery in carrying out her scheme. Though there are many risks and complications, Alanna shows that her moral fiber is strong as she immerses herself a world far from what she is used to. The second story in this category is Across The Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn, which tells the story of the young man Takeo and his transformation from a simple mountain boy with little trouble to a warrior and assassin. Takeo shows great loyalty to the Lord Shigeru, and finds within himself his own morals, bravery, maturity, and endurance. As he moves through the world of warlords and politics, Takeo must become alert and resourceful in order to keep his own life as well as his morals. Both stories contain only one realm, unlike the other categories that incorporate at least two worlds, and instead these main characters move through different social, political, and influential spheres and away from the lifestyles they are used to.

The final category is the Life Journey, a tale that takes a long time to unfold, sometimes over a lifetime. The first story in this category is Keith Donohue�s The Stolen Child, which chronicles the struggles in the lives of two changelings. Though Andy Day and Aniday move through vastly different worlds, they are rarely more than twenty miles apart geographically as the years pass. In the woodland fairy life of a changeling, Aniday still must learn how to take charge, find friendship and compassion, and come to terms with the normal life he has lost. On the reverse side, Andy Day comes to terms with the guilt he feels at taking another person�s place in the real world, and overcomes the paranoia of being found out as a fake. Though the stories of the two rarely cross over, Aniday and Andy reflect each other in their maturing and acceptance of the life they�ve been dealt. And the final story for this category is none other than J. R. R. Tolkien�s The Hobbit. This tale is placed in the Life Journey category not only because Bilbo�s journey takes many years, but also because the journey itself allows Bilbo to fulfill a life-long dream of adventure. A simple Hobbit, Bilbo learns just how resourceful and cunning he can be by taking this adventure, and demonstrates great bravery by deciding to start the journey as well as finishing it. He is an example that there is no age limit for one to stop learning about or challenging his or herself or to go after one�s dreams.

These ten works and their four respective categories show the wide range of Hero�s Journeys that can be taken not only in Fantasy, but in any genre of literature. The variety of the works also shows that each category can encompass a wide range of adventures and interpretations of internal and external exploration.

Annotated Bibliography

Baum, L. Frank. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Chicago: George M. Hill, 1900.

Summary: Dorothy Gale�s dull life in Kansas is swiftly changed when a twister drops her - house, dog, and all - into the magical and mysterious land of Oz. The journey begins in Munchkin land after Dorothy�s house falls on the Wicked Witch of the East, and Dorothy must travel through the wonderful yet dangerous land along the Yellow Brick Road in order to find her way to the capital city where the Wonderful Wizard can help her get home. Along the way Dorothy meets a brainless Scarecrow, a heartless Tin Woodsman, and a Cowardly Lion who each aid her in her journey to the Wizard and join her in the task of confronting the Wicked Witch of the West. Along the way, each learn that there is more bravery, brain, heart and courage in themselves than they could have ever imagined.

Commentary: For a story that is over 100 years old, Baum has held up pretty well under the weight of changing times. Dorothy is still a relatable character in that she is small and must use her intelligence to get out of tough situations. The friendship between the characters has been a long standing testament to real life friendships growing stronger through adversity and mutual trust growing through shared experiences. Though in comparison to modern day adventure fantasy stories, this classic seems relatively tame, it�s language and plot are still very approachable even for younger children. And it is especially important for girls to see a strong and clever female character, ironically enough surrounded by male characters that cannot do much of anything without Dorothy�s or Glinda�s (the Good Witch of the South) help. It is this internal drive of such a strong young girl that carries the plot forward in Dorothy�s search to find a way home, making her adventure a Seeking Home Journey.

Beddor, Frank. The Looking Glass Wars. New York: Dial, 2006.

Summary: Alice Liddell is not who everyone thinks she is. Her story is far more complicated than falling down a rabbit hole. It involves treason, kidnap, the unfortunate displacement of a young girl into the strict real world, and most importantly the power of imagination. Alyss Heart was once the heir to the throne of Wonderland, but the rebellion of her aunt Redd sent her to real world London where she was adopted by the Liddell family and promptly forgot her true life and heritage. Now as a young woman, Alyss� world is about to be turned upside down once again as she is spirited away back into Wonderland. There, she meets familiar yet remained characters who help - or hinder - her on her way to realizing her true place as the queen of Hearts.

Commentary: This story is a fresh re-imagining of a classic that showcases a strong female character and in the process of re-imagination reflects the product of a plot in which imagination is extremely important. In both Carroll�s original and in this �aftering� by Beddor, imagination is extolled and shown as an important aspect of life. In this case, in an adult�s life, as Alyss is by now an adult in this story. The adventure falls into the back and forth category because Alyss moves away from then back to Wonderland, and this motion is an important signal to readers of the importance of imagination and cleverness to solve problems in life.

Carroll, Lewis. Alice�s Adventures in Wonderland. U.K.: Macmillan, 1865.

Summary: Alice is a proper young lady brought up in a strict and dull household, but all of that changes when she follows a very peculiar white rabbit into the topsy-turvy world of Wonderland with all it�s crazy inhabitants. A girl who�s strict upbringing has dwindled her imagination at such a young age must now face the adventures of meeting a giant talking caterpillar, playing croquet with a deranged queen, and finding an unhelpful guide in the guise of a crazy cat. In her quest to return to the safe and sane world she knows best, Alice must move through the curious world of Wonderland without incurring the wrath of the queen, eating the wrong foods, and most importantly losing her own sanity.

Commentary: Alice, like Dorothy from Baum�s Oz, is on a Home Seeking journey, but unlike Baum�s Dorothy, she is going at it mostly alone. Not only does Carroll�s plot encourage imagination, but his world also shows the utter madness of unchecked imagination. Alice encounters imagination with no guidance of logic or even emotion, and she has to do so alone without any supportive characters to accompany her on her journey. This too shows a strong female character working through a world completely unlike her own in order to return home. This shows the Alice�s ability to cope with the unexplainable is very strong, and she can become an example of a well-adjusted individual to a modern day audience. This too is a story that has withstood the test of time.

Donohue, Keith. The Stolen Child. New York: Nan A. Talese, 2006.

Summary: Andy Day is a simple young boy, who happens to get kidnapped by hobgoblins that replace him with a changeling. The chapters go back and forth between the new Andy Day and the newly named Aniday as each adjusts to his new life, one back in the world of mankind, the other in the forest realm of hobgoblins. As Andy grows up pretending to be the same child who�s place he took, Aniday remains child-like in form but not in intelligence, and throughout their shared lifetime each faces the trials of family, guilt and gaining self identity.

Commentary: Most obviously, Donohue�s story showcases a Life Journey, as it takes the characters lifetimes to complete the arc of the plot. The parallels in the two main characters stories show a commonality of problems between young adults and adults. Each main character must deal with the problems he faces, and while only one physically �grows-up,� both mature into a kind of adulthood and learn to take on responsibilities beyond themselves. The fact that teens can place themselves between the portrayed child and adult of the book helps to clarify the lessons learned from each character.

Gaiman, Neil. Coraline. New York: HarperCollins, 2002.

Summary: Coraline Jones fancies herself an explorer, and quickly seeks out all the interesting new places among the grounds of her family�s new home, a flat portioned off of a large old house with tenants above and below, but not beside. What Coraline didn�t expect to find on her explorations was an entirely different world behind an old door in the corner of her own flat, and what she didn�t expect to find in that new world was an Other Mother to play with her and take care of her. And eat her soul. Now, Coraline must get out of this fun-house mirror version of her own home, find her parents, save the past victims of the Other Mother, and all with the help of a haughty black cat. Can she escape and save everyone without getting buttons sewn into her eyes? And can she keep the door between her world and the Other Mother�s world locked forever?

Commentary: Coraline is another strong female character that takes charge in Gaiman�s quiet adventure of two mirroring worlds, one real, one warped. The story is an example of a Back and Forth journey, as Coraline makes the conscious choice to go back into the twisted reality of the second world in order to rescue her parents. This reversal of roles, a child taking care of her parents, shows the internal maturity of Coraline despite her age, while it is her youthful imagination that allows her to outsmart the Other Mother. Gaiman thus shows positive qualities in maturity and childishness, emphasizing a balance between the two.

Hearn, Lian. Across The Nightingale Floor. New York: Riverhead Books, 2003.

Summary: Tomasu was once a simple mountain boy, living among and practicing the peaceful ways of the Hidden. But when his family is slaughtered and his village raided for harboring the Hidden, Tomasu�s life changes in too many ways, his life is threatened and he is saved by the strange Lord Otori Shigeru. Tomasu is renamed Takeo and begins a new life with Lord Shigeru, swearing fierce loyalty to him even when faced with the knowledge of his biological father. Though Takeo learns he is the descendant of an assassin, and possess many mystical skills himself, he remains loyal at Shigeru�s side even as a plot unwinds that could cost everyone, especially Lord Shigeru, their lives.

Commentary: Hearn uses the Mission Journey to great effect in order for both of her main characters to grow through setting and eventually reaching a long-term goal. The plot of the story is driven forward by the characters seeking to achieve their goals, and conflict arises when different goals counteract each other. The use of both strong male and female characters allows Hearn to give positive examples for both young men and women.

The Pagemaster. Dir. Pixote Hunt, Joe Johnston. Perf. Macaulay Culkin, Christopher Lloyd, and Canan J. Howell. 20^th Century Fox, 1994.

Summary: Life as a bullied nerd could, all in all, be going better for Richard Tyler, but his small stature and shy nature make him too much of a target and not brave enough to stand up to the bullies that torment him. The library becomes Richard�s sanctuary, but one stormy night it mystically becomes his battleground as well when he is suddenly transported into the animated world of literature. Aided by the personifications of Horror, Adventure and Fantasy Richard must fight his way through each of the genres in order to find the glowing �Exit� sign and return to his world. Richard�s adventure shows how the lessons learned in books can translate to the real lives of children and help them face their own demons and villains.

Commentary: This movie presents a visual representation of a Home Seeking journey, but applies examples of literature to show how books and reading can help readers cope with trying situations. Whether it be through escapism, much like Richard being transported into another world, or by taking the lessons in literature and applying them to real life, again, much like the content of that magical world. As the plot moves forward by Richard trying to make his way home, the general message portrayed is that literature overall can be a positive and exciting experience in a child�s or teen�s life, and that it can be enjoyable.

Pierce, Tamora. Alanna: The First Adventure. New York: Atheneum,1983.

Summary: Allana wants to become a knight. Her brother wants to become a wizard. So the twins switch places on the way to their separate schools, Allana to become Allen the page, Thom to a magical academy. It is hard work to conceal her true gender among the many pages and squires of the castle, but with the help of her childhood caretaker Coram, Allana is ready to follow her passion and fulfill a dream that might get her killed if she is discovered. This is Allana�s first step among the quartet length journey to becoming Allana the Lioness.

Commentary: Pierce�s Mission Journey is an extremely powerful message to young women especially to stand up for what they believe in. Allana is presented as a character who is willing to face death in order to fulfill her mission of becoming a knight, and this also shows the breakdown of gender stereotypes that can often disengage girls from what are traditionally seen as �masculine� tasks. This book also presents readers with the idea of commitment, since it is the first of four books, and it takes Allana the length of the quartet to realize her dream. This gives reader an example of a character that is willing to stick with a task to reach a goal, even when that task becomes strenuous, which is a good example for teens.

Shakespeare, William. �A Midsummer Night�s Dream.� The Norton Shakespeare: Based on the Oxford Edition. 2nd ed. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt, et. al. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2008. 839-96.

Summary: Hermia and Lysander wish to get married, but Hermia�s father Egeus does not agree to the suit, so the couple decide to sneak away from Athens to be married. They are followed into the forest by Demetrius, who loves Hermia as well, and Helena, who follows Demetrius for the love she bears him. Together, the four young Athenians, along with a separate group of amateur actors, stumble into the fairy world of the wood, and into the middle of an argument between the king and queen of the fairies Oberon and Titania. Love is up for grabs as tricks are played, plans go awry and people are turned into donkeys, all with the mischievous puck Robin Goodfellow at the center of each twist in the plot. Before the lovers can make it out of the woods and back to the world, they must first figure out who is who and find their proper match for marriage.

Commentray: Often seen as one of Shakespeare�s lightest plays, this comedy, if approached well in the classroom, can be inviting to high school students as a source of humor and learning. The play advises against pettiness, as seen in the squabbling king and queen of fairies, and also warns of the dangers of a first love. In a stage of life when many teenagers may be experiencing their first relationship, this play gives light hearted advice about how much stock should be put in the strength of the bonds of a new relationship and also can beg the definition of what love is. These are each important issues to bring to the minds of teens.

Tolkien, J. R. R. The Hobbit, or There and Back Again. New South Wales: George Allen & Unwin, 1937.

Summary: Bilbo Baggins� life is calm in his home at Bagend, until he is duped by Gandalf the Grey into joining a band of dwarves in a quest for gold and glory. Thus begins the tale of �There and Back Again� known to those beyond Middle Earth as The Hobbit; containing battles with giant spiders, gnomes, and a very angry dragon named Smog. At the heart of all this danger is the timid Hobbit Bilbo, proving himself to be a cunning, brave, and resourceful individual, and not a bad thief either.

Commentary: This classical Life Journey can show readers both in method and in the context of the story that it is never too late to start an adventure or strive for a long held goal. The book has withstood the test of time, rewarding readers with lessons of patience and cunning. Though it can be a challenging read for teens, if properly approached in the classroom, it can be a satisfying lesson of perseverance and an example of setting long term goals and then working in small steps toward fulfilling them.